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ERIC Number: ED516758
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Mar-10
Pages: 82
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: ISBN-0-8898-9392-6
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
A Study of Aboriginal Teachers' Professional Knowledge and Experience in Canadian Schools
St. Denis, Verna
Canadian Teachers' Federation (NJ1)
This qualitative study, initiated by the Canadian Teachers' Federation and its Advisory Committee on Aboriginal Education, explored the professional knowledge and experiences of Aboriginal (First Nations, Mets and Inuit) teachers. The rationale for the study was to address the urgent need to improve and promote Aboriginal education in public schools. This study asks the question: what can be learned from the professional knowledge and experiences of Aboriginal teachers who teach in public schools about how to better promote and support the success of Aboriginal education in public schools? The continuing goal of this study is to promote on-going dialogue and learning about Aboriginal education within teacher organizations and the broader educational community. Employing a focused and critical ethnographic methodology, the study interviewed 59 Aboriginal teachers (49 female and 10 male) teaching in public schools across Canada. In this study, the ethical and moral dimensions of teaching motivated Aboriginal teachers to become teachers and to remain in the teaching profession. The Aboriginal teachers in this study remained in the profession because they valued the opportunity to teach Aboriginal culture and history, to foster responsible citizens, to challenge negative stereotypes of Aboriginal people, to serve as role models, and because they believed they could have a positive impact on children. The participants in the study identified ways to support the integration of Aboriginal curriculum: meet the on-going need for schools to acquire Aboriginal curriculum and materials; adequately support Aboriginal teachers and non-Aboriginal teachers to teach Aboriginal content and perspectives; find supportive and understanding administrators and develop policies that come from the top down; accept Aboriginal teachers as fellow professionals; and hire more Aboriginal teachers and professionals. Appendices include: (1) Participating Teachers' Organizations; (2) Opening/Introduction Questions; and (3) A Selected Sample of the Procedures for Coding of Data. (Contains 6 footnotes.)
Canadian Teachers' Federation. 2490 Don Reid Drive, Ottawa, ON K1H 1E1, Canada. Tel: 866-283-1505; Tel: 613-232-1505; Fax: 613-232-1886; Web site: http://www.ctf-fce.ca
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Canadian Council on Learning
Authoring Institution: Canadian Teachers' Federation
Identifiers - Location: Canada
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A